Radio-frequency contactor



Aug. 14, 1951 J. F. FRESE RADIO FREQUENCY CONTACTOR 3 Sheetrs-Sheet 1 Filed Nov. 7, 1945 ATTOR/VEY Aug. 14, 1951 J R E 2,563,830 I RADIO FREQUENCY CONTACTOR Filed Nov. '7, 1945 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Jo/Mom? 5" gag/aw,

Patented Aug. 14, 1951 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE RADIO-FREQUEN CY CONTACTOR Joseph F. Frese, Baltimore, Md., assignor to The Monitor Controller Company, Baltimore, Md., a corporation of Maryland Application November 7, 1945, Serial No. 627,229

scams; 7 (01. 200-153) Another object of my invention is-to provide a construction of high frequency contactor system in which a removable switch element is pivotally mounted with respect to opposed spaced contactors for operation between the opposedcontactors under control of a spring device in'one position and under control of a magnetic actua-' tor in another position.

Still another object of my invention is to provide construction of a high frequency contactor in which a high frequency switch element is piv-' otally mounted for movement between fixed con-.

tactors in which the switch element occupies a position in abutment with one of the c'ontactors' under positive spring tension and is operative to establish connection with 'an opposed con-- tactor by longitudinal movement of' a member controlled by a magnetic actuator substantially removed from the area of the high frequency con-- tactors.

Another object of my inventioni'isto provide a construction of high voltage high frequency.

switching system in which a relatively short stroke magnetic actuator produces a magnified movement of a movable contactor arm with reference to coacting contact members.

A further object of my invention resides in a construction of high frequency contactor operative under control of a relatively short stroke magnetic actuator as set forth more fully in the specification hereinafter following by'reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure l is a front elevational view showing the high frequency contactor of my invention; Fig. 2

is a side elevational view of thehigh frequency contactor illustrating the switch element of the contactor moved to one of its limiting positions under positive spring control; Fig. 3 is a view similar to the view illustrated in Fig.2 but show ing the switch element positively operated under control of the magnetic actuator in the other of its limiting positions; Fig. 4 is a horizontal sectional view taken substantially on line 4-4 of Fig. 2 and illustrating the very substantial insulation which is provided for mounting the high" the magnetic actuator employed for operating the contactor system. I provide an arrangement by which a radio frequency circuit established through a switch element and contactor may be broken under conditions of very slight movement and a radio frequency circuit established between the switch element and an opposed radio frequency contactor. The switch element in the system of my invention is normally biased by spring means to a closed position with respect to a radio frequency contactor and is subject to displacement by a short stroke magnetic actuator to a position establishing a circuit connection with an opposed contactor. The magnetic actuator is so far removed from the radio frequency contactor system that no detrimental losses between the high frequency operating circuits and the low frequency actuator circuit can occur.

Referring to the drawings in more detail reference character I represents a vertically disposed panel structure of insulation material supporting adjacent the top thereof the pedestal in-v sulator 2. The insulator 2 is centrally recessed and screw threaded at the end 2a thereof and isengaged by the screw 3 which passes through the panel l and engages the screw threads 2a in pedwhich extends through the insulated panel structure 5 in spaced relation to panel structure l. The pedestal insulator 2 is precluded from twisting with respect to insulated panel structure I by means of a pin 6 which passes through the panel structure I and enters a recess in the end of pedestal insulator 2. The panel 5 is prevented from twisting or shifting with respect to pedestal insulator 2 by reason of pin 1 which passes through panel structure 5 and is embedded in the end of pedestal insulator 2.

The panel 5 of insulation material serves as a support for a pair of spaced radio frequency contactors' represented at 8 and 9. The radio frequency contactors 8 and 9 are each provided with a silver contact surface represented at 8a and 9a respectively, and a screw threaded shank shown at 31) and 9b. The screw threaded shanks 8b and 92) extend through the panel 5 and are 3 engaged by sets of nuts and washer elements in= cluding nuts Sc and 8d and washer element 8e and 8); and nuts to and 9d coacting with washer elements 9e and 9; for adjustably supporting the contacts 8 and 9 with respect to panel 5.

The adjustable mounting of contacts 8 and 9 is very important as the stroke of the actuator and the angular movement of the'switch element can thereby be regulated to insure proper opene ing and simultaneous make or break of the radio frequency contactor system as will be hereinafter pointed out in more detail.

In positions opposite the contactors 8 and-.9-

on panel 5, I mount fixed radio frequency contactors l8 and ii on panel i. Contactcrsilland. II are each provided with silver facings ita and: I la and have screw threadedshanks iilb and l lb.

tactors hereinbefore described. I mount a metal lic standard 12 on the insulated panel structure l and secure the standard thereto by means of arshank: I 2a. which passes through the panel structure I, with screw threads 5212 thereon which are engagedby nuts igZc andizd and ccacting washer members 52c and IE3. energy maybe supplied to "standard i2 through a suitable lug disposed between. washer members lle'and i2 and secured by'nuts lie and Hal. Thestandard l2 serves as. a pivot means at 14 for journaling the" angularly shiftable bifurcated member iii-which is-substantially quadrantal in shape and serves as a support adjacent one end thereof for the switch element 55 and at the other end thereof (serves as a support .for the- The rollermember I! isroller 'member i1. mounted to revolve about. axis Ha the contact operating bar: [8 "of the magnetic actuator [9 establishes engagement therewith. as represented in Figs? The; switch. elem'enti 6 is formed from striplike resilient material such as. bronze or beev ryll'iumcopper. having a. very substantialstrength and resilience. Theswitchelement i5 is sub stantially Y shaped at the end thereof as repre-.-

sented at it and terminates inxcontacts 2i and 22' which. are disposed at; obtuse angles with respect'to. the branches of the Y. Contacts: at and.

22 are thus. supported in positions whereby :the'

contact faces; thereof shown at 21 a and 22a estabe li'shabuttingicontact with the contactors ii and I l in'thetwo extreme positions of the switch. At the supported end; of the switch element iiicarried by theangularlyshiftable bifurcated memberil5 I provide a flexibly braided conductor 23- which provides a positive connection from the end of the switch. element to the binding post 2 4 on standard 12., thusv eliminating any losses which might otherwise occur through the pivotal cone nection of the switch arm.

I. arrange a symmetrically disposed switch ar- 25 on a separate. standard 26 similar to standard l2 but spaced therefrom transversely of. the panel: I, aligning contacts carried by switch arrnii Radio frequency with opposed contacts 8 and iii. A bifurcated supporting member 2? pivotally mounted at 28 on standard 26 is arranged in a manner similar to the arrangement of bifurcated member 35 and its relation thereto on standard 12. A roller 25 is pivotally mounted on bifurcated supporting member 21 in a manner similar to the arrange= mentofrollerli; Rollers l1 and 29 may thus berengagedby' the contact operating bar i 8.

The contact operating bar I8 is substantially trapezoidal in shape and is formed from insula= tion material with the broad face thereof shown at"l8a;engageab1e with roller members i! and 29; The narrowest face 18b thereof is clamped by boltmembers Mlwhich pass through the longiture 34 has an operating winding 3E associated therewith connected to terminals 3'! and 38 sure ported. on: asuitable stripiof insulation material represented at 39. An electrical circuit may thus be established to the operating system of the mag netic actuator.

'I'he core structure'iid is supported withspaced relation to theinsulated. panel Iby means of the spacer m and bracket members 4.1 with coacting. fastening screws 42 and 43 associated therewith Themagnetic contactor-isrso aligned with. the pivotally mounted .quadrantal bifurcated mem-a bersxl5 "and"?! that anoperating force may, be: presented'directly against roller members I! and.

Min. an. upward direction. Because of the ec-: centric mounting of the switchselement it with respect to the positiorifof' force application. from operating bar '18, the switch element 16 is. forced frcm theipcsitioniniwhich it is yieldably maintainedfbyzcoilispring44,. as shown in'Fig. 2, to theposition shown in Fig: 3;

bifurcatedJmembers-fiand 2?. The bifurcated membersfldand .2-1 .are returned to a position inl'whicharms. i6 and25 are positively shifted by pring'membersfshcwn at 44..-

The'tensionrspringsA4 are positioned so that one end entersthezstandard :12 or .26 while theother end :bears against the bifurcated member [50:12! that carries: arm 16' or .25 with the'coiled internrediateportion. thereof enveloping the stud l4. .o'r128; This arrangement serves to wholly shield: the spring 44 asv the 'convolutions and the opposite ends thereof are disposed between the side portions of the bifurcated members 15 or 21.

Theshieldingis. complete. because the end of the spring 44: at one end entersasocket in the end of the standards l2 or zfi while the opposite end of the spring is engaged behind'the bifurcated member i5 or 2.1. Corona is. not likely. to occur around the tension spring due to shieldingactiorrofthe birfurcated members:

The magnetic actuator issubstantially'removed from. the radio frequency contactors and does.

not offer any problems with. respect to capacity or interference with the high frequency circuits confined toth ra i frequency contactors.

Thus, a quick change :oicir'cuit connections may be effected from contactors 8 and 9 through switch arms i6 and25 to the contactors Ill and H; The position oftheswitchillusintated in Fig. 3 is maintained so" long as the magnetic actuatorst 9' is. energized. As. 1 scon asmagnetic .actuatorl'a is de 'energized the operating bar I8 drops gravitationally fromthe' While I have described my invention in one of its preferred embodiments, I realize that modifications may be made and I intend no limitations upon my invention other than may be imposed by the scope of the appended claims.

While I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is as follows:

1. A high frequency switch comprising a vertically extending support of insulation material, a pair of horizontally extending standards projecting from said support, a bifurcated member individual to each of said supports and journaled with respect thereto. a switch arm carried by each of said bifurcated members, a pair of contacts carried by each of said switch arms, op posed substantially aligned stationary coplanar contactors arranged in a plane substantially normal to the plane of said vertically extending support at opposite limits of travel of the contacts carried by said switch arms, springs interposed between said standards and each of said bifurcated members for continuously urging said switch arms to a position in which one of the contacts thereof establishes connection with the associated aligned coplanar contactor and pusher means operative linearly in a plane substantially normal to the planes of said coplanar contactors for simultaneously displacing said switch arms in an angular direction to establish connection between the others of the contacts carried thereby and the others of said coplanar contactors in opposition to the action of said springs which normally maintain engagement between the first mentioned contacts carried by said switch arms and the first mentioned aligned coplanar contactors.

2. A high frequency switch comprising a support of insulation material, a pedestal insulator extending in a substantially horizontal plane with respect to said support, a panel of insulation material carried by one end of said pedestal insulator, a pair of contactors, one of said contactors being mounted on said support, and the other of said contactors being mounted on said panel in substantial coplanar alignment with said firstmentioned contactor, a switch arm mounting means carried by said support substantially below said coplanar contactors, a switch arm pivoted in said switch arm mounting means, contacts carried by the extremity of said switch arm and alternately connectible with either of the aforesaid coplanar contactors, a biasing spring associated with said switch arm for normally maintaining one of the contacts on said switch arm in electrical connection with one of said coplanar contactors, and pusher means spacially disposed below said coplanar contactors and operative linearly in a plane substantially normal to the plane of said coplanar contactors and substantially in alignment with one of said contactors for mechanically rocking said switch arm for moving said switch arm to a position in which the other of the contacts carred thereby establishes electrical connection with the other of said coplanar contactors.

3. A high frequency switch comprising a support of insulation material, a pedestal insulator extending in a substantially horizontal plane with respect to said support, a panel of insulation material carried by one end of said pedestal insulator, a pair of contactors, one of said contactors being mounted on said support, and the other of said contactors being mounted on said panel in substantial coplanar alignment with said first-mentioned contactor, a switch arm mounting means carried by said support substantially below said coplanar contactors, a switch arm pivoted in said switch arm mounting means, contacts carried by the extremity of said switch arm and alternately connectible with either of the aforesaid contactors, a biasing spring associated with said switch arm for normally maintaining one of the contacts on said switch arm in electrical connection with one of said coplanar contactors, and pusher means remotely disposed below said coplanar contactors and operative linearly in a plane substantially normal to the plane of said coplanar contactors and substantially in alignment with one of said contactors for mechanically displacing said switch arm for moving said switch arm to a position in which the other of the contacts carried thereby establishes electrical connection with the other of said coplanar contactors.

4. A high frequency switch comprising a support of insulation material, a pedestal insulator extending in a substantially horizontal plane with respect to said support, a panel of insulation material carried by one end of said pedestal insulator, a pair of contactors, one of said contactors being mounted on said support, and the other of said contactors being mounted on said panel in substantial coplanar alignment with said first-mentioned contactor, a switch arm mounting means carried by said support substantially below said contactors, a switch arm pivoted in said switch arm mounting means, contacts carried by the extremity of said switch arm and alternately connectible with either of the aforesaid coplanar contactors, resilient tension means and a roller member associated with said switch arm, and pusher means operative linearly in a plane substantially normal to the plane of said coplanar contactors and substantially in alignment with one of said contactors engageable with said roller member for shifting said switch arm against the action of said resilient tension means from a position in which one of the contacts thereof establishes maintained connection with one of said coplanar contactors to a position in which the other of the contacts thereof establishes connection with the other of said coplanar contactors.

5. A high frequency switch comprising a support of insulation material, mounting means of insulation material extending substantially normal to said support, one pair of contactors disposed in aligned positions in substantially the same vertical plane on said support and another pair of contactors disposed on said mounting means in a plane substantially parallel to the vertical plane of said first mentioned pair of contactors, switch arm mounting means carried on said support in a position below said aforementioned mounting means, quadrantal members journaled on said last-mentioned mounting means substantially in alignment with planes normal to said support and coplanar with a contactor in each of said pairs of contactors, a roller carried by each of said quadrantal members in a position eccentric to the journal thereof, switch arms carried by each of said quadrantal members in a position remote from the associated roller, a pair of contacts carried by the extremity of each of said switch arms and movable in a plane between the limits of travel imposed by contactors in each of said pairs of contactors for establishing alternate connection between the contacts carried by said switch arms and said contactors, and means operative in a linear direc' 7 8 tion, in a plane substantially normal to the planes Number Name Date of'said contactors engageable with said rollers 1,246,628 Wells Nov. 13,. 1917 for shifting said quadrantal members from one 1,270,235 Whittingham June 18, 1913 limiting; position to another. 1,370,784 Collins Mar. 8, 192-1 JOSEPH F; FRESE; 5 1,439,693 Coates Dec. 26, 1922 1,445,036 Pocock Feb. 13, 1923 REFERENCES CITED 1,491,346 Gent Apr. 22, 1924 The referances are of record 1,880,498 50112181611111]. Oct. 4, 1932 file of t patent; 2,125,436 Frese Aug. 2, 1938 10 UNITED, STATES PATENTS 1 g PATENTS Number Name" Data Number Coun ry Date 217,006 Germany June 3, 1909 381,005 Klemschmidt. "1", Mar. 3, 1903 372,838 Great Brltam May 19, 1932 925,673 Zook 1 June 22,. 190.9 943 281 Smith Dec 14 L909 15 412,209 France Apr. 27, 1910 624,631 Germany Jan,2,8, 1936 1,004,383 Davis .11. Sept. 26,, 19.1.1 

